Desperate Measures
by PetertheChameleon
Summary: AU: During a cave-in, Katara is separated from her friends on the other side of a rock wall. Unable to get out, she must work with another unlikely captive in ways that she never foresaw. Alternate storyline to Cave of Two Lovers featuring Zutara. OneShot


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of its characters. It's owned and produced by Mike di Martino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon.

This story's a reworking of the Cave of Two Lovers plot, except Zuko randomly appearing instead of Aang. Because of that, the story tends toward parody an awful lot. So I guess it's...a romantic comedy?

Rated T for very mild language and one possible, completely unintended, sexual innuendo. I'd take it out, but it might as well stay in.

* * *

"How did you get here?"

The question was asked simultaneously, Katara speaking over Zuko. And neither tone was very friendly. The two stared each other down, one's eyes glowing dark blue in the candle light, the other's eyes glowing bright gold in his own flame. And both sets of eyes stared daggers.

"You followed us in, most likely," Katara finally said, crossing her arms in anger. "You and your Fire Nation henchmen." What she would have given for _some_ source of water.

"Do you _see_ any henchmen, _peasant_?" The young man gestured around him, the light dancing over his palm. "If I had come for you, trust me, you wouldn't be here."

Katara was caught off-guard by how little sense that made, and Zuko noticed the momentary hesitation, smiling inwardly at her reaction. He had her unnerved now.

"If you're here, so is the Avatar. Take me to him!" Zuko shoved his empty hand forward in a threatening manner, which would have looked rather ridiculous if she hadn't been aware of what that hand could do. Katara stared at it momentarily, then gave a disgusted sigh.

"Do you _see_ the Avatar anywhere, _prince_?" She gestured around her in mock exaggeration, then held her candle out in front of her defensively. "I suggest you go back to the rock you crawled from under."

Zuko studied her with hard eyes, then leaned far forward and blew out the flame. "Not a bad idea." And with that, he turned on his heel, leaving her in darkness.

At this point, Katara knew she had to think fast. She wasn't one to fraternize with enemies, and she especially would not fraternize with someone who had been trying to kill her for months. But in this situation, she reasoned that as long as she followed him, it wouldn't theoretically be fraternizing.

"Don't even think of trying to follow me," Zuko said as his back retreated into the dark cavern, the light bobbing against the walls. "I'll set you on fire, and you can use yourself to find the way out."

Well, Katara reasoned again, burning to death may not be as bad as starving to death. Either way, she had to take her chances. If she could reach the outside, then she could find help for Aang and Sokka. She couldn't do much in the dark, facing down a wall of rock.

"Zuko!" She jogged quickly to catch up with the young man. He didn't slow. But he didn't turn around and set her ablaze either, so she took it as a good sign. "You can't leave me like this! I won't be able to find my way out!" Her arguments sounded dangerously close to begging, which she was in no way happy about. But there wasn't much choice, was there?

"And why would this suddenly make me care?" the young man said, sounding disinterested. Katara slowed down for a moment, trying to think of a good reason why she thought Zuko might have a heart. Nothing occurred to her. The prince continued flippantly, "Go find your little boyfriend. Maybe he can help."

Almost immediately after he had said this, he stopped in his tracks. He then turned around to face her, the flame highlighting a scarred face that was full of epiphany and evil genius. And once more, his fist went up in that threatening manner. "Or I _could_ take you hostage and use you against the Avatar once I find the exit!"

Katara rolled her eyes as she quickly caught up to him. "Yes, take me hostage. I'm sure second time's the charm on that plan." Zuko stared after her as she walked past and then followed, abandoning his fighting stance. All Katara had to do was get to a water source. T hen she could defend herself while thinking up an alternate plan. And surely in the depths of some dark, cursed cave, there would be a water source.

Surely.

**

* * *

**

Zuko cringed in exaggerated pain. He had for some reason assumed they would be walking in thoughtful silence. Instead, he found that Katara seemed to like talking.

"What happened to your eye?" she asked from behind him. He growled sullenly and kept going. His arm was getting tired from being elevated for so long. Plus one can only firebend so much before he becomes exhausted. Zuko considered once more lighting the Water Tribe peasant's candle and just taking it from her. But that'd give her the impression he was weakened. And even if he knew he could still take her, he also wasn't sure if water might be close by. Better to keep fire out of her hands. Keep her subdued.

But, dear spirits, she wouldn't shut up.

"Did you get it from the war? Did a Water Tribesman do it to you?" Her voice was full of gloating, and Zuko was half tempted to explain that it wasn't. Half tempted.

"No," he said simply, though the word was full of contempt.

"That's what you get for playing with fire."

The peasant thought she was being smug, but the words struck a chord within Zuko, and he paused, his mind being drawn quickly back into a distant memory. His expression turned cold, a painful contrast to the fire blazing in his hand, yet there was a hint of pain written into his knitted brow. One could easily read the horror of the experience in his face.

Katara stopped to study his profile, and unconsciously he knew she could see his agony – perhaps even understand it. They stood there, quiet, one intent on the other and the other lost in his memory. Then she said in a hushed voice, "What happened to your hair?"

Zuko shook himself from the memory of his father and scowled at her. "Let's go, peasant."

Katara smirked at him from behind and kept walking.

**

* * *

**

A circular door towered before them. There was no indication that it was an exit, but they hadn't seen anything but rocks for what seemed ages. This was the first thing that actually resembled a way out.

"How do we open it?" Katara asked in a whisper, pressing her hand against the rock. It felt cool to the touch and slightly damp.

The only warning she had was a sudden intensity of light, her shadow forming a stark contrast on the door. Without even turning around, she threw herself to the side. Not more than a second after she moved, a large fire blast slammed into the rock, slicing a narrow gouge into it wherever the flames hit. Katara threw her arm over her head to protect herself from the heat wave that flowed over her.

When she opened her eyes, a dark imprint of the blast marred her vision. Yet she could still make out Zuko walking through the gouge, the flame in his hand once again.

"Stand back," he muttered belatedly, earning a glare from her as she picked herself out of rubble for the second time that day. So far, she had not seen one redeeming quality in the prince. He was rude, curt, aloof, haughty, angsty, and apparently intent on killing her. This bonding time was literal torture.

But all thought of the miserable prince left her mind as she stepped into the vast chamber behind the door. It was a tomb, far greater than any room she'd ever seen. Whoever had been buried here must have been very important. In curiosity, she started for the stairs.

"Look for some torches. Or a map," Zuko commanded, following after her. She grimaced to herself and tried to keep from tripping on the stairs in the prince's dim light.

It took them a good deal of time to reach the tombs enclosed in the center of the room. It was far larger than Katara had guessed, Zuko's fire disappearing on both sides and engulfed by the distantly high ceiling. Statues surrounded them on all sides, though she couldn't make out anything but their silhouettes in the dark. The tombs themselves loomed above them, and Katara found she could only see the dais comfortably. Zuko pulled up short of the dais, extending his arm so that they could see the carvings etched into the stone.

"It tells a story," Katara breathed, leaning in closer to read the words. "It speaks of a legend of two lovers who met secretly on a mountain. But they were torn apa—"

"Bored," Zuko said, cutting her off. He walked away abruptly, forcing her to follow in silent irritation. "Again, peasant, look for a map. If it doesn't tell me how to get out of this place, I don't care."

As he circled the dais, his flame illuminated a bas-relief behind the tombs. The figures in the stone carving were a man and a woman, leaning into a chaste kiss. Katara could only assume these were the two legendary lovers the cave was named after. While Zuko studied the two people with a calculating look, she turned to read the inscription on the back of the dais.

"Love burns brightest in the dark." What on earth did that mean?

"Did you say something, peasant?" Zuko said, turning to look at her. Katara glanced back at him, and stopped in surprise. Though he was bald and glaring, he still kind of resembled the man in the frieze. Kind of.

"Zuko…I just had a crazy idea." Was she really going to suggest this? The cramped tunnels must've been getting to her head. But suddenly, it didn't seem so crazy a plan. It could be worse – she could spend days walking around a labyrinth with Zuko as her only company.

"This better be good, peasant." The prince sounded as if he were out of patience. And somehow she didn't think he'd go for this plan willingly. Or maybe he would. Something inside her shuddered, but she forced herself to talk anyway.

"Well, this says that 'love burns brightest in the dark,' and that wall shows two people kissing. So maybe….what if we….kissed?" She had to fight down a growing queasiness that she knew would only get worse if he agreed.

Zuko stared at her in complete shock, his jaw moving silently. And then: "Are you a _simpleton?_!"

Katara felt slightly offended at the response, anger replacing her nausea. "Well, your highness, _you_ obviously haven't come up with a good plan on how to get out of here! I figured that it was about time _one_ of us started suggesting some ideas!"

"But…_what?_! How can a picture of two people kissing and a lack of interior lighting lead you to _that _conclusion?" He waved his torch-hand at the wall as if demonstrating his point. "You must be completely nuts!"

"You're right, I must be to even consider kissing scum like you." She huffed and began to storm out of the room. Then came to the edge of the light's perimeter. Angrily, Katara whirled around to face him. "Please, can we leave?"

Zuko scratched at his scruffy inch of hair in some bewilderment, then followed. The girl had obviously gone crazy, and he found himself hesitant to push her even further over the edge.

And no damn map.

**

* * *

**

"It's been a day," Katara muttered, her back slumping in exhaustion. "We haven't slept, we haven't figured anything out, and we're just as close as we were yesterday to getting out of here." The prince kept walking, though she could tell his little flame was starting to waver. Even she couldn't bend for an entire day. How Zuko had managed to do so was quite impressive. She found she was starting to gain a new respect for the young man, even if still hating him with a fury that could only be produced by the mass slaughter of one's whole tribe. At least he hadn't killed her. Yet.

"Listen, Zuko, we have to stop." He was ignoring her, so she tried to reason with his back. Surely he could see sense. If they kept walking, they would both collapse.

"Then stop," he said simply, and she realized there was no talking to him. At least she had begun to understand his personality. Rather than rude, he was just apathetic. And rather than aloof, he was just….well, apathetic. Driven was a nicer word. Driven to kill her best friend.

"Come on, Zuko, we won't lose anything by just _trying_ to kiss. And if it gets us out of here faster and away from each other, doesn't that make any attempt worth it?" Please, let it get them out of there. She did not look forward to the awkward moment after it failed.

"Fine, peasant, if it will shut you up, I'll kiss you," Zuko said, turning around to glare at her. He strode up to her far more quickly than she anticipated, sweeping her up in his one free arm. And pressed his lips firmly against hers.

xxxx

Even Zuko was taken aback by his sudden decision. He really just did it with the intention to make her stop talking. At least that part of the plan was a success. To be honest, he didn't necessarily hate it. He didn't have anything against the peasant girl. She was pretty, even if she had thwarted every one of his attempts to capture the Avatar. Plus, kissing a pretty girl in a dimly lit cavern, miles away from anyone else was rather enticing. And her lips felt soft and warm under his, and she carried the scent of a fresh spring, and he hadn't had anything to drink in days…

Well, damn it, he _was_ a man.

xxxx

Katara was still in shock when he started kissing her. She had expected more mental preparation – certainly a gentle lead-in moment where she felt more in control than she did just then. But even still. Kissing a handsome boy in a dimly-lit cavern miles away from anyone was a romantic fantasy. And his lips were rough yet firm, and he smelled of burning sulfur, and she hadn't had…

_What? _The revulsion came back quickly, and she laid her hands on his chest, pushing him away forcefully. Then side-kicked him in the stomach for good measure.

Zuko curled over his abdomen, glaring at her hatefully as he stumbled back. "Why, you little peasant…" In his wrath, his flame went out.

And the ceiling lit up with a green glow as bright as moonlight.

Katara gasped, all thoughts of the kiss fleeing her mind. "That's what the saying meant! Love burns brightest in the dark!"

"That's not the only thing burning right now," Zuko muttered sourly, but Katara didn't hear him. She was already running in the direction that the glowing crystals led.

Zuko stared after her, then sighed_. Just something more to angst about_, he thought to himself and began slowly shuffling toward the exit.

* * *

**A/N:** This fic was an experiment a long time ago to find out what was so awesome about Zuko and Katara. I thought maybe writing them in a romantic situation would allow me to see their chemistry. Unfortunately, the characters don't always stay IC and it became a pseudo-parody early on. But there are ZxK moments and I actually was surprised to find they had more chemistry than I thought they would.

I still don't ship them, unfortunately. But I hope all Zatarans out there can enjoy, anyway!

I left Zuko's presence in the cave a mystery not to follow up later, but because it didn't really matter _how_ he got there. He just was. It might make the story less attractive, but it was a writing exercise anyway. 

Almost all text referencing backstory about the cave (ie, story, adages, anything) are drawn directly from the cartoon and might even be actual quotes. I'm not sure, 'cause I rewrote them from memory. But to give credit where it's due, the entire basis of this story, as well as some of the dialogue, are directly pulled from Episode 22, Cave of Two Lovers. Don't think I'm that creative. I'm merely an interpretor.


End file.
